Can Data Drive A More Energy-Conscious Enterprise?

Technology is an
important element in progress. See, we can always do something better. We can
improve water technology, or energy efficiency. There is always progress
forward using technology and that’s where innovation starts. – Santiago Calatrava

That said, it comes as no surprise that
more businesses nowadays are investing in energy-efficient measures in their
operations. Data monitoring and analytics are two of the ways through which
firms can identify the core areas where they need to save energy and how can
they proceed to put conscious enterprise plans into action. And it is not just limited to
one niche. Energy conscious enterprises is now omnipresent across various industries as
companies are taking a step to use data for relevant use.

Using
Sensors for Predictive Analysis and More

Sensor-enabled assets are now common in
many industries, which have started adopting them to drive predictive analysis,
for instance. There are several devices that contribute to smart offices and
therefore, the focus is not just to get the data from the consumption of energy
in their premises, but also to utilize it in an innovative manner.

Companies that are looking to reducing
energy costs and consumption, make use of the data from these sensors. Data
analytics can help them to target energy-inefficient areas. They can, then,
work towards implementing various energy-saving initiatives. The catch here is
to make sure that the data solutions need to be tailor-made to fit the
end-goals of the firms.

With IoT gaining a strong foothold in the
market and growing by leaps and bounds, it will only be a matter of time before
it becomes the norm for companies to keep track of their energy consumptions through
a network of connected entities.

Doing the Big
Data Experiment

Big
data tools can be used to generate innovative solutions that can help manage
energy usage. They can be used to track, measure, analyze, and validate the
impact of both renewable energy solutions as well as other energy-efficient
technologies. This can help in drawing out the relevant insights from the
masses of data that is generated from the study of both large efficiency issues
as well as small-scale issues.

By leveraging Big Data and Analytics,
companies can get an idea of how they are doing on several crucial parameters.
They can understand their water usage and electrical consumption or even get to
know their global energy us and map their carbon footprints. Analytics will
provide them handy information to add context and therefore, help them manage their
energyusage more efficiently.

Applying Machine
Learning for Optimal Decision-Making

Machine learning can play a mission-critical
role in intelligently increasing the efficiency of the firm as well as in saving
energy costs. It can reduce the production bottlenecks, proactively highlight
points of failure, and help drive up the quality of initial production. Avoiding
rework and reducing waste helps save scarce materials as well as optimizes the
energy-usage across the production process.

This can be done by implementing
automation in the smart meters that can track usage patterns and collect data
that helps drive preventive maintenance. This data can also be used to
determine the sources of energy leakages and therefore, fixing them at the
earliest.

Solving
Real-Time Problems

The
data collected doesn’t just help enterprises in the long run. It alsohelps them
in solving real-time problems. A case in point is that of HVAC (Heating,
Ventilation and Air Conditioning) usage. The usage patterns can be analyzed to
come up with more energy-efficient solutions for such critical devices and
systems. This can include automating the turning on and switching off ofelectrical
utilities based on an analysis of the population using specific locations in
the facility, the weather at the time, and the prevailing safety regulations.

Modern enterprises are built on a backbone
of solutions that are inherently energy-hungry. The good news is that
technology can be brought to bear on changing that dependence too. Take for
instance the modern data center. The energy needs of running the thousands of
servers and disks, the cooling needs, and the water needed for meeting fire
safety standards are some of the energy-guzzling components in the data center.
But firms are turning to AI to make an impact on energy usage. AI is driving
decisions about the servers to keep on and the disks to spin down. Energy is
being regulated and cooling is being targeted better. All to reduce the energy
wastage.

A flood of data is available for analysis
because of the complex correlations between the various energy-consuming
elements. The complexity is because without understanding those correlations
half-baked and incomplete solutions may be rolled out that fail from the
get-go.

Come, Be a Part
of a Data-Driven World

If you too are aiming to turn your enterprise
into an energy-conscious business, then this is a great time to start. You have
the tools available, the innovation is taking root, and the need is here and
now. The road to a better world could start from how your enterprise uses data
to become a conscious enterprise who are more energy efficient!